Industrial facilities often use containers or totes for transporting products or loose materials from one location to another. Repeated use of these containers makes their use more economical. Therefore there is a need for removing debris such as small particles or shavings of metal, plastic, paper and foam that commonly accumulate in these containers after each use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,017 describes a method and apparatus for extracting particles from such containers. The apparatus described includes two caps that close in succession over the open top of containers passing beneath the caps on a conveyer. The first cap supplies high pressure into the containers to loosen particles from the container and the second cap follows with low pressure to remove the particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,631 describes a system for cleaning containers such as soda cans and bottles. The apparatus described employs a chamber in which the containers are placed. Compressed air is directed through a nozzle into the containers to dislodge foreign particles and fluids. A vacuum blower operates in conjunction with the pressure blower to remove the contaminated air from the chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,429 describes an apparatus for cleaning empty inverted containers that pass over a first station that blasts ionized gas up into the container and a second station that sucks out the suspended contaminants from the container.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 307,365 describes a fish cleaning table with ports that could conceivably be employed to dispose of debris.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0166360A1 describes a system for cleaning a surface that employs airflow across the surface and exhaust air to remove debris from a debris collection chute.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,603B2 discloses a method for cleaning contact lens molds including the steps of placing the mold within an enclosed or substantially enclosed area, directing a gas under pressure against the mold and providing an outflow of gas to remove the dislodged debris.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,893 discloses a method for improving the manufacture of a vacuum cleaner that employs a foot switch actuator.
In combination the prior art reveals a need for container cleaners and the feasibility of employing air under pressure and a vacuum to facilitate cleaning. The prior art does not disclose the use of, or advantages flowing from use of, a flat surface out of which compressed air and a vacuum in a special configuration are simultaneously directed into the open top of an inverted, container placed on the flat surface. Moreover the prior art does not disclose how to clean containers effectively at the same low cost provided for in the present invention.